Mellon Fic 100 Prompts
by TrinityTheSheDevil
Summary: A series of 100 small drabbles ficlets for the Mellon Fic 100. The individual fics are complete but the series in itself is not.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Son of Arathorn  
Prompt: #27 - Birth  
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil  
Rating: PG  
Characters: Arathorn, Gilrean, Elladan, Elrohir  
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.  
Summary: Arathorn's son decides to arrive in a very inopportune moment.

--- 

It was the height of the battle ... or that's the way it seemed to Arathorn. He stood back to back with Elladan, while the younger of the twins of Elrond fought at the door of the small hut, protecting those inside. Hallath fought nearby, along with several other rangers, in a tight circle around something ... no, _someone_. That someone was a very pregnant Gilrean, who Arathorn was currently worried sick over.

They had been evacuating the camp after receiving word of orcs traveling nearby, when they were realized they were too late. Gilrean, of course, refused to go anywhere when others were in need ... and Arathorn knew that any attempt to change her mind would be futile. So he had stayed his tongue and tried to get his wife to safety, which had not worked out the way he had wanted. Now, he slowly tried to fight his way over to her, working through the orcs as best he could.

He was halfway there with Elladan still behind him when he heard a shout. It sounded startled, almost frustrated ... and it came from the very woman he sought to protect. With a renewed vigor, Arathorn doubled his efforts, yet it was still not fast enough.

"Gilrean!" Arathorn shouted, risking a glance over his shoulder towards where she lay. 

"Arathorn!" Gilrean's voice wavered ever so slightly. "We may have a problem."

"Explain 'problem'! Is this the kind of problem that I would rather not know about but need to anyway?" Arathorn jabbed at an oncoming orc, swinging around and hitting another with the hilt of his sword.

"It seems your son has decided he is ready for battle."

Arathorn paused at these words, earning himself a slice across his shoulder for doing so. The pain got him moving again, but his mind now seemed to be caught in a sluggish trance. His son. At last, Arathorn's son was arriving.

He grimaced. Just like his bloodline to make an appearance in the heat of battle, too.

"Arathorn? You are still alive, aren't you dear? I would hate for you to fall just as your son comes into the world." Gilrean's voice came once more.

"I'm okay, almost there." Arathorn responded. 

"You know, friend," Elladan mused. "For any future children, you may want to tell your wife not to give birth to them in the middle of a battle. It can be somewhat of a health hazard."

"Hah, you tell her that yourself." Arathorn laughed. Elladan made a rude noise, causing the man to laugh again. Telling Gilrean what to do was like trying to wrestle with a warg with one hand tied behind your back - it was just something no sane person did.

Finally he had made it to his wife's side; he grasped her hand tightly, pushing the sweaty hair from her face. "My love, perhaps we should continue this elsewhere?" He asked, noticing that the number of orcs had dwindled quite a bit and the few stragglers were being taken care of.

"I agree. I refuse to have this baby in the dirt like a horse! Go pull the good blanket and lay it on our pallet, I shall move there."

"But surely you do not wish to ruin the-" Arathorn was silenced with a frosty glare from his wife. He held his hands up in surrender, nodding. "I shall put the blanket down. Elladan and Elrohir will help you to the pallet while I do this, and the midwife is already in the hut."

Gilrean nodded. It was true, the midwife had not left their side the entire time. The older woman said that where ever the unborn babe was, was where she would be. And it seems that she was right. Arathorn sighed, knowing he would never hear the end of it.

Just as he had laid the soft blanket down and straightened it out, his wife hobbled into the small space, easing her way down onto it. Arathorn started to move to her side but was slapped away by the midwife. He glared.

"I am her husband!"

"And I say you stay OUT like every other husband. There are men who need to be healed, so go do your job, and I'll do mine. I'll call you when your son arrives." The midwife poked him in the chest. "And no peeking. This is a woman's work!"

Arathorn narrowed his eyes. "Fine, woman." He turned around, muttering. "The death of me, all of them ... " 

"Lady troubles?" Elrohir grinned mischievously as Arathorn stalked out of the hut.

"You have no idea, friend." Arathorn sighed. He moved off to help his men though, knowing that if he didn't he'd end up running right back into the hut.

---

Hours later found Arathorn sitting on the ground with his elbows on his knees, staring intently at the covered door. He could hear his wife's shouts and with every sound, his hands clenched tighter around the sides of his leggings. Elladan and Elrohir sat on each side of him, looking worriedly at him from time to time.

"I'm sure she's fine." Elladan said, picking at a piece of grass. He got no response, but expected none anyway.

There was silence for a few more moments, except for that of the cries inside. Arathorn suddenly spoke sharply, almost startling the two elves at his sides. _Almost_.

"What if it is a girl?"

"What?" Elrohir frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The child. What if it is a girl. I know Gilrean said it was a boy but," He turned, looking at the younger elf with a hopeless expression. "What if she's wrong, and it is a girl? Not that I'll mind, but for so long now I've thought about having a son, not a daughter ... " 

Elladan chuckled. "Do not doubt your wife's intuition. It is not a thing to be taken lightly. If she says it is a boy, then a boy it is. Now sit, and wait. It shouldn't be very long now." 

And indeed, it wasn't. The midwife pulled back the cover on the door not half an hour later, looking exhausted and sweaty. In her arms was a bundle of wriggling joy; one that Arathorn was almost scared to even look upon.

"Well, are you going to take your child, or aren't you?" The midwife said softly, stepping closer to Arathorn.

With great care, the man placed his hands around the bundle of cloth, looking on with awe at the babe inside. His son was ... beautiful. There was no other word to describe him. 

"Aragorn." Arathorn smiled. "He shall be Aragorn."

"A fine name." Elladan smiled. "He shall grow up to be a fine man."

"Yes," Arathorn nodded. "I sense in him a great future ahead." 

"Well of course! He is, after all, the son of Arathorn ... and Heir to the Throne of Gondor." Elrohir smirked. "He will be a great man indeed."

End


	2. Prompt 85 Shade

Title: A Bit of Shade  
Prompt: #85 - Shade / Mellon Fic 100  
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil  
Rating: PG 13  
Characters: Aragorn, Legolas  
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.  
Summary: Aragorn travels home after one of his great escapes.

A/N: Not beta'd and I quickly finished it before having to run to work. Any errors are mine and all mine.

---

The sun was merciless. It beat down unhindered by any cloud nor tree. The wind was not even blowing to give some small amount of relief to the man who rode wearily upon his horse across the great plain. In the distance, he could see trees. If only he could make it to them ... another couple of hours and he would be there, safe within their branches from the sun, and he could get water.

He wore no shirt, and his leggings had been cut short. So short that if he stood and put his hands by his sides, his fingers reached past the tattered cloth. His arms, back, chest, and legs were covered in barely healed gashes. Some still oozed blood when he moved wrong. The skin that was not marred with injuries was covered in blisters from the sun. The past week had not been kind to Aragorn, and he was thankful that he had survived it.

He had set out with a task of trailing a group of orcs back to where they had come from, to find out where they were hiding. The group had been small in number and Aragorn was not worried about being seen. Two days into his journey, however, and the group had met up with an even larger group of orcs that Aragorn was not prepared for. Just as he had decided to return to the ranger encampment and gather more men, one of the orcs had stumbled upon him quite by accident. The man had killed the creature, but not fast enough. It had alerted the rest of the group and Aragorn soon found himself bound to two large stakes in the ground, stripped of most of his clothing.

The orcs, thinking him of nothing as amusement, had their fun with him. The whip had rained down upon him again and again, leaving him unconscious three separate times before they finally finished. Instead of killing him, they left him tied there, to bake under the hot sun and die of either dehydration, hunger, or perhaps from some animal in the wild. None of these sounded very appealing to Aragorn.

The group of orcs had left, laughing as they did so. The man had lay there, weakly struggling against his bonds for hours. It was early on the next morning that he finally managed to pull one bloody hand loose and manage to free himself. The skin around his wrists was mangled, bleeding. Aragorn could hardly bare to look at them. Instead, he had focused on standing up and walking towards some sort of shelter. He knew that secluded as he was, the only places to hide were infested with things that would likely kill him. Late that afternoon he had finally found his horse, but the animal had been stripped of all supplies. The horse wasn't harmed, however, which led Aragorn to believe a group of men had found it and taken everything but had not managed to take the horse. 

And so he had climbed upon the beast and started the slow journey back. At one point he had managed to find a small stream and was able to drink from it and wash his wounds as best he could, but he had nothing to keep the water in. With a heavy heart he had left the stream behind, knowing that there was a long ride to the next source of water.

Aragorn knew that if he could just make it to the trees, he would be fine. There was shade there, and water. Perhaps, even though he was scared to hope, he could find someone to help him. He honestly doubted that he could go much further; his vision wavered in and out, his thoughts seemed sluggish, and staying on the horse seemed to be an almost impossible task. Every now and then the horse would step sideways or turn sharply to avoid something and Aragorn would be hard pressed to simply cling to its back.

One hour went by with such a slowness that Aragorn was sure that fate was against him. The treeline still seemed impossibly far away. Not that Aragorn was sure of this, considering his vision had gotten so bad that he had to squint to even see them. His head had begun to throb with such power that the man wondered how it even stayed on his shoulders. Each step of the horse caused Aragorn to flinch in pain. 

Another half hour and Aragorn was ready to drop. Well, if he was honest with himself, he was ready to drop quite a long time ago. Now, however, he could not even cling to the animal below him. He simply laid across the horse's back hoping that he did not fall off, because if he did, he would not be able to get back on. He was almost there though ... the trees were closer, beckoning him with their branches and the cover they provided.

When he was nearly there, the horse below him swiftly turned to the left to avoid a rather large rock. Aragorn was unprepared for the movement and found himself falling ... he landed with a heavy thud, as a groan of pain escaped his dry lips. For a few moments, the man knew nothing but agony, as fire raced through his entire body and left him gasping while trying to cling to conscious thought.

With sudden clarity, Aragorn knew that he was going to die there. An unfitting way for a warrior to die, but it seemed like it would be his end. He hoped that someone found him and realized what had happened.

As Aragorn began to give into the darkness that called to him, he heard a sound. Soft at first, but it grew in intensity. It was someone ... someone familiar! As he thought this, a face he knew appeared in his line of vision, calling his name.

"Aragorn, you filthy human. What happened!" Legolas called softly, afraid to touch his friend for fear of causing him more pain.

"Orcs." Aragorn rasped, blinking heavily.

Legolas shook his head, sighing. "Come, we must get you to your father's house. I have some water with the horse back in the woods that I am sure you would like."

As Aragorn was gently lifted by Legolas and carried into the woods, his last conscious thought was he had finally made it into the shade.

End!


	3. Prompt 55 Tree

Title: The Tree  
Prompt: #55 - Tree / Mellon Fic 100  
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil  
Rating: PG  
Characters: Mainly Aragorn and Elladan, but some Elrohir, Elrond, and Eldarion  
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.  
Summary: The story of the Tree.  
Warning(s): Character death but not in the "OMG AHH!" sense.

A/N: Please be aware that this story is entirely AU, not beta read, and jumps years quite a bit. However, I kinda like it ... but then again, I'm biased. :g:

--

"Estel, there is no way you can do it. The tree is far too large." Elladan said gently to the small four year old. "Perhaps when you are older, you will be able to climb like Elrohir and I. For now, you must stay on the ground, and away from harm."

"Now!" Estel's teary eyes pleaded with the older twin until the elf finally gave in.

"Alright. I'll carry you up the tree, but I am not letting you go. Okay?"

Nodding excitedly, the small boy raised his arms to be lifted up, watching in fascination as the world shrunk below him while Elladan climbed to one of the larger branches on top. His clear grey eyes pierced the surroundings with one thought in mind ... when he was older, he would be able to make the climb all by himself.

--

Five Years Later

"Estel!" Elladan yelled in fright, watching as the boy plummeted from one of the lower limbs of the large tree. He rushed forward with his heart in his throat, lifting up the limp form as he called for Elrond.

"What happened!" Elrohir asked, following his brother to the healing chambers.

"He attempted to climb the tree and ended up falling from one of the lower branches. I think his arm is broken and he has been knocked unconscious, but I would rather have ada examine him to be sure. Thank the Valar he was not able to climb any higher, for he might not have survived the fall."

Settling his little brother down upon the bed, he waited anxiously as Elrond tended to the boy. When done, Elrond sighed, shaking his head.

"He will be fine. His arm was broken clean through and I have put it in a sling for now. He does not have a concussion, but I know he will have a very large headache upon awakening. When he finally does awaken on his own, I shall have him drink some of my tea, so that he may rest for the remainder of the day."

Elladan let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, clasping Estel's hand in his own. "I will sit with him until he wakes, and give him the tea when he does."

"Very well, Elladan. Your brother and I must attend to the councilmen from the villages for now, as they have to leave in the morning. Let us know if anything changes with him." Elrond said, as he gave Estel a gentle hug and left the room. Elrohir did the same, following his father out, leaving only Elladan and the sleeping Estel.

"Oh, brother. Why do you feel you must push yourself past your own limits? How many times have I told you that you are not old enough to climb the tree yet?"

"I'm almost ten ... " Came the whispered reply from the occupant on the bed. Elladan's lips twitched but he quickly bit back the grin. He was furious with Estel for taking such a risk but would not punish him now. Later, when Estel had healed enough to get up, he would realize the error of his ways. Now, Elladan was only glad to have him alive.

"You are nine, and not big or strong enough to climb the tree. After you have grown, you can safely attempt it." Elladan leaned over the bed as Estel slowly opened his eyes. The boy grimaced in pain at the light coming through the windows and Elladan knew he had a throbbing headache.

"But when will I know, 'Dan? When will I know when I am big enough to climb the tree?" Estel asked softly. "I am afraid that I will not know."

"Oh, do not worry, little one." Elladan said, smiling. "You will most definitely know."

--

Eleven Years Later

Elladan climbed swiftly through the branches and the leaves, making no sound as he did so. He made his way up towards the top, to one of the large branches that overlooked quite a bit of Rivendell. From where he was, he just could make out two feet dangling over the branch. It took him a few minutes to climb past the leaves and vines, but finally he was sitting upon the same branch as his brother, who laid carelessly back against the trunk of the tree.

"I'm sorry." Elladan's words pierced the quiet night, seemingly sharp against the silence.

"It is not your fault." Estel whispered with a faraway look in his eyes. "It is the fault of no one. I simply ... I ... " Estel's eyes watered and he looked away, furiously wiping his sleeve over his face. "I do not want this burden!"

With no other way of comforting his brother, Elladan leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the man - for that was what Estel was now, a man - and made soothing noises. "None of us ask for the burdens that are placed upon our shoulders, brother. If I had thought that it would have helped you, I would have told you long ago of your heritage. We wanted to keep you safe, however, so we took you in and named you Estel. I hope that we have given you a life of joy, for we love you dearly. You may be the son of Arathorn, but you are my brother, and also the son of Elrond. Do not forget that."

Estel ... Aragorn, nodded against Elladan's shoulder. "I am sorry for my reaction, Elladan. I know it must seem foolish of me ... "

"No," Elladan shook his head. "Not at all. Come, Estel. Let us venture back inside before it gets cool. Supper is ready, and you need to eat."

Estel nodded. "Thank you, Elladan."

Elladan watched as he slowly made his way down the tree, before shaking his head. "No Estel," He spoke too softly to be heard by the man. "Thank you."

--

Seventy Years Later

"Come, Estel. Is this going to become a habit?" Elladan said as he settled upon the branch beside the man. "Don't you think you're a little old to be climbing trees?"

Estel laughed softly. "Aye, the King of Gondor, sulking in a tree. What would the people think?"

"They'd probably think you have finally lost it ... if you ever had it to begin with of course." Elladan smirked. His face fell when Aragorn sighed heavily, looking down below at Rivendell ... a place that once seemed so much like home, but now more of an empty wonder.

"He sailed." Aragorn's voice broke.

"I know." Elladan replied. "It was time for him to go, Estel."

A sob caught in the man's throat, as Aragorn tried to hold the tears at bay. It was of little use, and soon he found himself releasing his grief upon Elladan's shoulder.

"He misses you greatly, you know." Elladan said when Aragorn had finally quieted down. "In our last conversation, he spoke to me of his regrets, and one of them was not being able to stay and watch you and Arwen raise a family. He wanted to remain here until you had lived the rest of your days, but knew the pain would be too great. It was with a heavy heart that he left you and Arwen to cross the sea."

"I shall miss him." Aragorn said.

"I also, little brother. I also."

--

One hundred and forty one Years Later

"Uncle Elladan, I do not see the point in coming here." Eldarion said, looking around at what was left of Rivendell. The haven had suffered greatly when the elves had left it; a shell of what once had been now stood in the place of what was once one of the most beautiful places in Middle Earth. It still had a beauty of its own, but it was now wild and haunting; not many people wanted to stay in Rivendell now.

It had been almost exactly a year since Aragorn had passed. Eldarion felt the deep ache in his heart, that had not been there when his father had lived. The last thing he wanted to do right now was travel to Rivendell; if he could do exactly what he wanted, he would have probably curled up in bed and cried into his pillow, for the loss of Aragorn.

Eldarion finally caught up with Elladan, realizing that the elf stood next to a rather large tree. The tree looked very old, but sturdy. Sturdy enough that Elladan climbed to one of the upper limbs and waited patiently until Eldarion joined him.

"Eldarion, I wish to tell you a story." Elladan said, a small smile upon his face. "A story of a four year old boy, and a tree ... "

--

The End


	4. Prompt 78 Lightening

Title: A Lesson in Lightning  
Prompt: #78 - Lightening / Mellon Fic 100  
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil  
Rating: PG  
Genre: Humor  
Characters: Estel, Elrond, Erestor  
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.  
Summary: Estel learns to harness lightning.  
Warning(s): Shameless Erestor torture.

A/N: I know next to nothing about lightning ... anything I may have learned in 8th grade science has went POOF from my brain. I'm just having fun with this!

-- 

It was with relief that Elrond sat in his soft, squishy chair in front of his desk, sighing with content. His day has been quite full, what with the meeting with the men from the next town, and overseeing the birthing of one of the human women staying in Rivendell. He had just now finished teaching Estel about storms, more in particular, lightning. The boy had been fascinated with learning of the deadly bolts of light. Any other time, Elrond may have been suspicious of the child, but today he was simply too weary to think twice about it.

Elrond grinned, thinking of the questions Estel had asked. The boy was curious if nothing else. Estel had wanted to know if lightning could light a single candle, or a hundred of them, at one time. Elrond had sat a moment, and then responded with, "Maybe, Estel. If one were to manage to harness the lightning, perhaps it could. However it is far too dangerous for a mere mortal to try, so nobody has done it before."

Apparently Elrond did not notice his slip of the tongue, for when he had said "mortal", Estel's eyes had lit up as if he were told he could eat his favorite treat for every meal. Estel had then asked what attracts lightning, and Elrond had told him, "Lightning usually strikes things that are very tall. Living things also seem to attract the bolts, as well as things that are made of metal." 

Elrond had then said that the lesson would be cut short, and Estel was to observe the storm that night from the safety of the watch tower. The boy had jumped with glee before hugging Elrond and taking off, exclaiming that he would learn to harness the beautiful lightning, and he would be known for it everywhere. Elrond, in his weariness, had simply laughed softly and shaken his head at the antics of children.

Later he would look on this as a foolish action and wonder where his thoughts were.

An hour later, Elrond spotted Erestor passing by his study, and he called to the elf.

"Erestor," Elrond said when the other had walked through his door. "Would you do me a small favor tonight?"

"You have but to name it, Elrond." Erestor replied.

"Can you keep watch over Estel for the night, while he is in the watch tower? I have instructed him to observe the storm that will be here tonight and watch the lightning, and I do not want him to do anything foolish for he seemed a bit over excited at the prospect."

"Certainly, Elrond. Will that be all?" Erestor asked.

"Yes. And thank you, Erestor. I seem to be a bit tired tonight so I think I will turn in." 

It was just as Elrond was settling in for the night when the storm began. There was not much in the way of rain and wind, but thunder boomed quite loudly and the lightning was an awe inspiring sight. Elrond thought that Estel must be having a grand time watching the display.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard what sounded like a scream. Jerking upwards he jumped from his bed and ran to the window, looking out. He could not see the watch tower from his room, but could clearly hear muffled cries that sounded like Erestor's voice. Now very alarmed that some kind of harm may have come to Estel and Erestor, he threw on his robe and ran out of his room, rushing towards the tower as fast as his legs could carry him. The lightning was constant now, keeping the ground lit as if it were daylight.

Once he arrived at the tower, he gaped in shock at the sight. There, at the very top and tied to what looked like a wooden pole, and holding a sword towards the air, was Erestor. He was quite nude and his hands were bound around the wood with the sword tied to his hands. In his mouth was a gag that looked like Estel's soiled socks, and there was a large metal bound wire wrapped around his waist.

The wire led from Erestor's body to a table laid out on the ground, with several candles under the wire. Elrond frowned in confusion and wondered where his son was when it suddenly hit him. Just as he thought this, a voice sounded from behind him. 

"Hello, ada! Come to watch the show? I have did as you instructed and now I shall harness the lightning! I wanted to use Glorfindel, since he is such a mighty elf and I am sure that lightning would not do much harm to him, but he is away hunting. Erestor shall have to suffice. If you are wondering why he is nude, he was wearing his good robes and I am sure that the lightning would do harm to them, so I took them off after I hit him over the head with the hilt of the sword. It took some maneuvering but I finally got him tied to the rooftop of the watchtower, the highest building. The lightning should strike him soon, I cannot wait until it does! My candles will be lit and I will be known as Estel, he who harnessed the lightning!"

Elrond's mouth gaped open as he listened to this, wondering what kind of evil spirit had taken over his son's body. Surely, his innocent Estel was not capable of this? But as he watched the boy look on in anticipation at Erestor's naked body, he knew that somewhere he had gone wrong. For now, he had to save Erestor from a nasty bolt of lightning.

"Estel, I did not say to tie my advisor up to the watch tower roof to be struck by lightning!"

"But ada, were you not listening? I wanted to use Glorfindel and he was not here. Erestor was the only elf around that I could carry up the watch tower without someone else becoming suspicious!" Estel said proudly, as if thinking of this was a great deed on his part.

"Nevermind, Estel. Come, we must get him down before lightning does strike him!" Elrond said and started towards the tower.

"But ada, you cannot! My candles have not been lit!" Estel said. As Elrond was about to reply, what he feared suddenly came to pass. A large bolt of lightning came down and struck the end of the sword, traveling through Erestor's naked body and then down the cord. It kept going until it hit the candles, managing to light each one that was on the table. Erestor's muffled screams could be heard all throughout Imladris.

"Ada, did you see that! Did you see it! It worked, my candles are lit! It worked! I have harnessed the lightning!" Estel jumped up and down with glee, clapping his hands. Elrond gasped in horror and ran to the tower, now in a hurry to get Erestor down. As he was climbing the stairs, he heard the lightning strike again and Estel once more scream, "Again ada! It did it again, did you see? I can harness lightning!"

By the time Elrond made it to the roof, Erestor had been struck a total of three times by lightning. Estel was now on the ground pondering over the fact that his brothers had told him lightning does not strike the same place twice, and Elrond overheard him remark that he would have to try the experiment again with Glorfindel to test this theory and find out exactly how many times lightning can hit the same spot. Making a mental note to discipline Estel heavily for this later, Elrond went about untying Erestor from his post and carrying him down to the healing chamber. Elrond was, needless to say, very worried about his advisor. Erestor was twitching and all of his hair was standing straight up, there were burns on most of his body, and he was drooling.

As he began to spread salve all over Erestor's body, the elf came alive, snapping out of his stupor. 

"Did you see what he did? He bashed me over the head with the sword! I found myself naked at the top of the tower, where Estel explained that I was to be hit by lightning for his experiment! And I was! Not once, but three times the bolts came down! I shall not be watching your son again Elrond, next time you can do it!" Erestor was yelling at the end of his rant, breathing heavily. 

Elrond said nothing, merely giving Erestor some tea which left the elf asleep in moments. He finished bandaging the elf, made sure Estel was safely in his room, and went back to his own chambers. Crawling in bed, Elrond decided he would deal with it all in the morning, and explain to Estel that one cannot simply tie someone up and use them as a lightning conductor.

End


	5. Prompt 9 Months

Title: A Month  
Prompt: #9 - Months / Mellon Fic 100  
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil  
Rating: G  
Genre: General  
Characters: Mainly Estel/Aragorn and Elrond  
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.  
Summary: The world in months.  
Warning(s): None really. Just avoid the corny writing. g

A/N: This is something different. I'm not really pleased with the way it turned out, but my muse is currently sitting in a tub full of ice trying to cool down from the summer temps. I blame the weather.

--

It was when Estel, then known as Aragorn, was seven months old that Elrond had first met him. The baby was a wide-eyed wonder child, curious of everything, and as mischievous as his father had ever been in his youth. Arathorn had held the boy up proudly, with love shining clearly through his grey eyes.

They had stayed for a while in Rivendell, under Elrond's roof. Aragorn was into everything he could reach and some things he couldn't. By the time the family had left, Erestor was at wits end and Glorfindel still carried a disgusted look brought on by stepping barefoot in a dirty diaper.

--

Only a few months after the boy had turned two years old, he was brought to Rivendell. Elrond immediately took him and his distraught mother Gilrean in, letting it be known that he would foster the child until he became a man. And so from then on he was known as Estel, not to be called Aragorn again until many years later. Elrond had often thought on the situation, wondering if he was doing what was best for the child. Surely, taking him away from his true home, among Arathorn's kin, would not be good for him in the long run?

After a month of looking into Estel's grey eyes though, Elrond realized that his heart had grown attached. There was simply no way he could turn the child away now.

--

When Estel was two months past eight, he received his first bow. It was a small thing that was thought harmless, as surely Estel did not have strength enough to release the arrow with such force to hurt anyone.

It took Glorfindel three months to heal from his wound, and to this day he still cannot sit right.

--

Estel was only four months past his tenth birthday when he got his first training sword. After learning quite a bit from the bow fiasco, his trainers - otherwise known as Elladan and Elrohir - were very careful with the boy. Within six months, Estel could parry, block, strike, and move with a fluid ease that most humans lacked. He had impressed his brothers and his father so much that when he turned eleven, he was gifted with a real sword, made just for him.

The wooden one now hangs in Elrond's room, a tribute to the childhood innocence that graced Elrond's halls for such a short time in the span of Elrond's life. 

--

It took almost a month of searching to find Estel when he ran away just before he turned fifteen. The boy had been tired of being called names, of being different from everyone else in Rivendell. Indeed, it had not been an inhabitant of Rivendell that had found him, but one from Mirkwood.

Estel was found perched on the back of Legolas' horse, riding into Rivendell while talking animatedly with the Mirkwood prince. Legolas listened on with great patience, taking in every word the other had to say, and responded in a serious manner that pleased Estel.

In the nine months that Legolas stayed in Rivendell, the two had forged a friendship that was unbreakable.

--

Aragorn came home three months after he turned twenty to apologize to Elrond for his harsh words. Elrond smiled and wrapped his arms around the man, telling him that there were no words needed, and nothing to forgive. His destiny accepted and now thankful that his father wasn't angry with him, Aragorn promptly fainted in Elrond's arms, the arrow wound on his back oozing blood and a suspicious black liquid.

It took five months until Aragorn was deemed healthy enough to be allowed back onto a horse.

--

Many, many months later, Elrond sat at a council of elves, men, dwarves, and most surprisingly - hobbits. He gave his son a look of pride, much like the look that Arathorn had when Elrond had first laid eyes on the baby brought into Rivendell. Aragorn was now a man, one who was slowly but surely making a difference in the world.

And Elrond knew that Aragorn was meant for greatness. He had known it the first time he locked eyes with the baby who was to become his son, all those months ago.

-- 

End


	6. Prompt 81 Broken

Title: Lost and Broken  
Prompt: #81 - Broken / Mellon Fic 100  
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil  
Rating: Hard R  
Genre: Angst, Drama, Tragedy, AU  
Characters: Aragorn, Elladan mainly  
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.  
Summary: The breaking of a spirit ...  
Warning(s): Implied (please note: implied only!) rape, torture, CHARACTER DEATH, and general not-niceness.

A/N: The evilness flowed like water with this one. I don't know where it came from, but I'm hoping there is more like it, hahaha. And please READ THE WARNING AND THE RATING before the fic ... do not say you were not warned!

--

It came of no surprise when Aragorn finally staggered back home to Imladris, dragging a litter behind him. The sorrow had already been felt far and wide and elves grieved for the one that was lost. The one that had brought peace and a safe haven, now gone forever from the soils of Middle Earth. Trackers had been sent out the week before, yet even the best of them were not successful in their mission. Some evil had shielded the two from everyone, so that they would not be found. The reason was not yet known, though many elves were too grieved to find out. Some, in fact, had already left to sail.

Elladan and Elrohir were the first to rush up to Aragorn, standing in front of him until the man finally stopped, realizing that he was not alone. They visibly blanched at the empty look in their brother's eyes, the look of pure desperation, of horror caused by the recent deeds he had seen. Aragorn's mouth opened slowly, as if the words were caught in his throat and unable to escape. His breath hitched and a tear rolled from his eye to trail down his blood caked cheek.

"A-ada ... " Aragorn whispered, beginning to tremble. With great care, the man gently lowered the covered litter to the ground, his body moving with an ease that belied his injuries. As he straightened again, he looked into the eyes of the twins, not bothering to blink back the tears that were now coursing down his face.

"I'm sorry." He managed to murmur, before he collapsed into their arms.

-- 

Elladan was holding up as well as he could. His brother, Elrohir, had left a week ago with his sister Arwen. The grief was far too much for the two of them and so they had decided to sail and spend the remainder of their days with their mother, and perhaps one day again, their father. Elladan himself had managed to hold back his own sorrow thus far, focusing his attempts instead on healing his mortal brother Aragorn. He did not know exactly what had transpired during Aragorn and Elrond's captivity, but if Aragorn's muttered nightmares were of any indication, it was not good.

The older twin had already gathered that Elrond was tortured for quite some time before he was dealt a killing blow. There were deep gashes and slashes across almost every inch of his skin, most of his bones were broken - or crushed altogether, burn marks were placed in random places on what skin was left and there was evidence of abuse that Elladan refused to even think of. His heart, broken as it was, kept together now for only one reason: Aragorn would need someone here, while he healed. In a way, Elladan blamed his brother and sister for leaving as they did, without so much as a goodbye for Aragorn. He knew, though, that it was for the best.

Arwen herself seemed to think it was well within her rights to blame the man for her father's death; Elladan knew it was the grief that spoke, but nevertheless he was grateful that Aragorn was unconscious and did not hear it. Elrohir had been in a state of shock since Aragorn's arrival, choosing to simply follow his sister to where he knew lay healing and peace, instead of staying in Middle Earth to waste away with every minute.

Elladan did not fool himself into thinking he was above them though. Once Aragorn healed, he would follow them to the place that now pulled at his very being, calling him with a sweet seducing song. He would probably be the last to leave Rivendell; after Elrond's body had been cleansed with flame and sent into the sky, most of the elves had left the same time Elrohir and Arwen had. Glorfindel and Erestor, at least, stayed with Aragorn for a night to say goodbye to the man. Although the human may not have been awake for it, on some level he acknowledged them.

Other elves felt the same; the grief was so thick in the air that it could almost be cut with a knife. They were leaving, little by little, as they succumbed to the sorrow of losing one so dear. Even elves from Mirkwood and Lothlorien had shown up on Rivendell's doorstep to pay their respects, on the way to the sea. Galadriel had not yet arrived, but Elladan knew she would. She and Celeborn were not yet ready to sail, even though now they were to leave sooner than they had originally thought. When Elladan had asked why in one of his letters, Galadriel had simply replied, _"There is still much good to do here in Middle Earth."_

Two weeks slowly passed and Aragorn's health had finally improved somewhat. His nightmares occurred throughout the day and night, causing Elladan to keep a constant watch over him. Elven though he was, he still had to rest, and was thankful when one of the other elves who had stayed in Rivendell watched over Aragorn for him. It was during one of these times that the man awoke, looking around the healing chamber with a dawning horror.

The other elf left quickly to alert Lord Elladan to the human's change in condition and Elladan arrived as soon as he could. He was not quick enough to prevent Aragorn from jumping to conclusions, it seemed, and found the man to be curled on the bed trying to stifle the sobs that escaped his torn lips.

"Shh, Aragorn. I am here, little brother." Elladan sat gently on the bed, placing his hand on Aragorn's shoulder.

Moments later, Aragorn rolled over to peer at his brother from under his too short hair. Elladan was forced to cut it to sew one of the gashes that had went all the way across the top of his head, an action that pained him greatly.

"I thought you had left." Aragorn whispered in despair.

"Nay, I stayed for you, Estel." Elladan gathered the man in his arms as best he could on the small bed. "I am here for you, my brother."

"Elrohir?" Aragorn sounded almost terrified to ask. Elladan's heart seemed to be squeezed in a vise, but he managed to reply.

"He has sailed, with Arwen. I am sorry." Elladan was pained as another sob tore itself from the man's abused body.

"It is I who am sorry, Elladan! I let them ... I let them kill ada!" Aragorn's hand wrapped itself around Elladan's tightly, holding on for dear life.

"No! It was not you, Aragorn! It was not you!"

"But I let them! I did nothing, while they tortured him! He endured it for me, do you not see this! I was captured, not him! He should have escaped before they found him, but he charged them head on! And instead of torturing me, they turned their attention on him! I was forced to wa- ... to watch ... while they ... they broke his spirit!"

Elladan tried to shush the man, to calm him down, but Aragorn would not be quieted.

"After his spirit fled the earth, they left me there, to watch as the beasts converged on his body. I managed to free myself before they were able to ... to ... " Aragorn broke off, forcing himself to calm before he passed out. "I made a litter to carry him back ... I did not rest. But it was not enough, not enough by far!" 

"Aragorn!" Elladan said fiercely. "You must not say that. Your wounds were great, and even I would not have been able to save ada. You were struck three times by arrows and had suffered at their hands before ada saved you from the death they surely would have given you. Do not take lightly the gift that ada bestowed upon you; he did it out of love, wanting you to continue on to whatever destiny is yours. His death was not in vain!" 

Although Aragorn knew that Elladan was right, he could not forgive himself. As he gave in to the darkness that called to him, all he could say to Elladan was, "I am sorry, my brother." 

The elf watched as the man finally closed his eyes, letting his body succumb to the rest that it needed. He sighed, shifting so that Aragorn lay across the blankets in a comfortable position and watched the man for a while.

It was like this that the servant found him, both eyes staring unblinkingly at the human. The servant cleared his throat and waited until he got Elladan's attention before saying, "Prince Legolas of Mirkwood has arrived, Lord Elladan."

--Continued in Found and Mended, Prompt "Fixed"--


	7. Prompt 82 Fixed

Title: Found and Mended  
Prompt: #82 - Fixed / Mellon Fic 100  
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil  
Rating: Hard R  
Genre: Angst, Drama, Tragedy, AU  
Characters: Aragorn, Elladan, Legolas  
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.  
Summary: The healing of a soul ...  
Warning(s): Implied (please note: implied only!) rape, torture, CHARACTER DEATH, and general not-niceness.

A/N: The evilness flowed like water with this one. I don't know where it came from, but I'm hoping there is more like it, hahaha. And please READ THE WARNING AND THE RATING before the fic ... do not say you were not warned!

2nd A/N: This is a companion piece to "Lost and Broken". Please read that first to get a better understanding of this fic.

--

Two months passed in Rivendell since Aragorn had awoken and in that time, the man had not spoken a single word. He had taken his grief and turned it inwards, hoarding it to himself instead of letting it flow from him. It was as if he was punishing himself for the deeds done to his father; Elladan knew that in a way, Aragorn did see this as something of a punishment. Elladan himself did not blame Aragorn for the death of Elrond ... how could he, when Aragorn himself did not blame Elladan for the death of Arathorn?

Rivendell was quiet now; it was not a welcoming quiet that people had found attracting about the elven haven. This quiet was more of what one would find inside a tomb, dark and foreboding. It might have been this that caused the inhabitants to leave, to flee to a place where they could once again find peace. Aragorn seemed unaffected by the atmosphere, choosing instead to wallow in grief and misery.

Legolas stayed there with Elladan, waiting for Aragorn to come out of his shell. Besides them, there was one other servant who remained to keep watch over Aragorn. When the man was a boy, known then as Estel, he had won the servant's heart over with his childish antics. Their friendship, though, was not enough to get Aragorn to speak, or even acknowledge that another presence was in the room.

Another month later, the servant sailed with a heavy heart, leaving behind only a letter for Aragorn to read when he had healed.

Elladan sat wearily down upon the hard chair left behind in his father's study. He could clearly remember the days not so long ago that Elrond would sit in the same chair, his expression amused or angry depending on what situation his sons had gotten themselves into again, while he made sure Rivendell stayed intact. Those days were gone though and Elladan quickly banished the images, ignoring the now familiar tug at his heart. Legolas walked in the room without making a sound and sat lightly upon the desk in front of the chair. There was silence for a few moments.

"He is not getting any better here." Legolas murmured.

"I know that, mellon nin. What would you have me do? I love him with all of my being, but if I stay any longer I may fade away with grief. I do not know how to fix him!" Elladan clenched his teeth, blinking back the tears that had formed in his eyes.

Legolas adopted a thoughtful pose, and then said, "I could take him."

"What do you mean? Take him where?" Elladan frowned. The sudden image of Aragorn being cast back out into the wild to fend for himself sprang in Elladan's mind and his suspicion grew before he squashed it down again.

"To Mirkwood, with me. My father is sailing very soon - it is why I was sent here, to help you tie up loose ends. He is taking a good portion of elves with him, but there are some who still want to stay and defend Mirkwood's borders. I am not yet ready to journey across the sea; I could watch him, help him heal, and keep him on the track to his destiny."

Elladan's lips quirked slightly. "You've been talking to the Lady Galadriel." 

"Yes, I have. She wants me to do this also, I think, but she did not say it outright." Legolas shrugged. "I do not know the human as well as you or your family, but I think I could help him. There is something about him that calls to me, like a moth to the flame. I know this is what I must do."

"Are you sure? This is not something I can decide upon easily, Legolas. This is his life we are talking about!" Elladan shook his head. "I cannot leave without being positive that you can do good for him."

"I am sure, Elladan. As sure as I have been of anything." Legolas responded. "If you are ready, my father is sailing in a week. It would be best if you went with him." 

Nodding, Elladan sighed and stood up. "Very well. I trust you, my friend, but do not lead me astray. Take care of him as if he were your own blood."

"I will, Elladan. Do not worry, I will."

--

Elladan sat numbly down in front of Aragorn, who still refused to speak. It was the day he was leaving Rivendell ... leaving Aragorn. He had already said his goodbyes to Legolas and his things were packed and sent along with Thranduil's carts. Now, he had only to say goodbye to his brother, and leave Rivendell forever.

It was a hard thing to do and he wondered how he might survive the journey to the havens with this weighing on his heart.

"I am leaving, Aragorn." Elladan spoke softly. "I am sorry that I could do nothing for you. Legolas feels that with him in Mirkwood, you can finally heal, and become what you were born to be. Please remember that I love you very much, my brother. I will miss you more than you can know." Elladan sniffed, wiping away a tear. He leaned forward and captured Aragorn's head in his hands, laying a gentle kiss on the man's brow. 

"Be safe, Aragorn. I love you." Elladan stood. Without another word, he turned and walked away ... away from his brother, away from Rivendell. When his form could no longer be seen from the window, Aragorn raised his head with tear filled eyes and said, "I love you, brother. I will miss you."

-- 

Many, many years later ...

Aragorn stood in front of the large crowd, feeling the weight of the crown upon his head. Legolas stood beside him, as well as what was left of their small fellowship. The elves that had remained in Lothlorien and Mirkwood were there, as well as Galadriel and Celeborn, to witness Aragorn reclaiming the throne. It was a joyous moment and yet, deep within Aragorn's heart, he mourned. He mourned for the faces that he did not see amongst the crowd, for the love that he missed during his hard life ever since that fateful day.

As if sensing his thoughts, the heavy clouds overhead opened up and a single beam of light shot down onto an empty space just in front of him. For a moment, Aragorn could swear that he saw Elrond's smiling face; beside him was Elladan and Elrohir, with Glorfindel, Erestor, Arwen, and many others he had not seen in a very long time.

The people of Gondor would later tell of the tear that rolled down Aragorn's cheek as a sign of happiness, that the evil had been defeated and the king had returned. Very few knew what it really meant ... those who did sailed across the sea years later and remembered a great man who had been broken and fixed again, but even the greatest repair will still show the cracks and lines now and then as a memory of a sadder time.

End


	8. Prompt 98 Blood

Title: More than Blood  
Prompt: #98 - Blood / Mellon Fic 100  
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil  
Rating: PG13 just in case  
Genre: Drama, General  
Characters: Aragorn, Elrond  
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.  
Summary: The ties of blood ...  
Warning(s): Corny-ness flows freely here.

A/N: Dedicated to Rhonda. My apology fic for killing Elrond in the "Fixed" and "Broken" prompts. Not that I'm actually sorry for killing him since it was fun to do, but I feel I must do something to make the wench feel better after her crappy day.

--

There was so much blood. It gushed between his fingers, making them slick and sticky; it ran down the pale skin in rivers and streams, pooling below the still body. One part of his brain wondered how such a substance could be so vital to life but he ignored the voice in favor of stopping the flow of the precious fluid. The wound was great; it amazed him that the man was still breathing after having been struck down as he was.

"A-ada ... " The slurred words came so softly that Elrond almost missed them. He did not slow in his work trying to save Aragorn's life as he replied.

"Hush, my Estel. Save your strength!" 

"It hurts ... " Aragorn weakly tried to shift away from the pain, away from Elrond's hand that was pressed down against his chest. He groaned aloud at the additional pain that caused and decided to stay still for the time being.

"I know, ion nin. I can not risk giving you anything for the pain, lest you fall unconscious and never awaken again." Sorrow filled Elrond's eyes as he gazed down on his son, who was almost writhing in agony. To make matters much worse, the arrow that Aragorn had stepped in front of was meant for him. His son had saved his life ... but Elrond hoped, nay he prayed, that the cost was not too high. That Aragorn did not die from this wound ... if he did, Elrond would never be able to forgive himself.

"Not ... your fault." Estel murmured, turning his head to the side. A small trickle of blood ran from his lips, causing Elrond to cry out. So much blood ... there was just so much ...

"Stay with me, Estel. Do not leave me." Elrond nearly sobbed. "You cannot die! You are the last great hope for Middle Earth ... without you, all shall perish! You cannot leave your duties unattended ... you cannot leave me, my son!" 

In desperation, Elrond placed his hands over Estel's chest. He concentrated, pouring all of his own energy and strength into the man below him. Would it be enough though? He did not know; he only knew that he would do anything at this point to save the life of his son. On and on he kept at it, while muttering words of encouragement to the injured man. The minutes passed into hours and as time went by, he was gradually drained of his strength. When he could go on no further, he collapsed in exhaustion, lying near Aragorn.

With a shaking hand, he lifted the edge of the ripped tunic, gazing at the wound. It was with great relief that he noticed the wound had healed somewhat; it was still a life threatening injury if not tended to, but at least now Aragorn had a chance.

"Ada," Aragorn swallowed hard, tears of pain rolling down his dirty face. "Thank you."

"No, Estel. Thank you. The Valar have gifted me with such a son that he would give his own life to save mine." Elrond weakly pushed himself up, clasping Aragorn's hands. "I love you, Aragorn."

"I love you, ada."

On the journey back, Elrond thought that it did not have to be blood to bind two together in a family, for no matter how much blood was spilt, Aragorn would always be his son.


	9. Prompt 73 Summer

Title: Rushing Rapids  
Prompt: #73 - Summer / Mellon Fic 100  
Author: TrinityTheSheDevil  
Rating: PG  
Genre: Humor, GEN (no slash in this fic even though it might seem like it, haha!)  
Characters: Legolas, Estel  
Disclaimer: Not mine, at all.  
Status: Stand Alone  
Summary: Estel is hot and Legolas has an idea ... said idea could probably kill the both of them though.  
Warning(s): OOCness to the extreme. Silly humor. Slight crack.

A/N: Rhonda went to a water park. I hate her! But she did give me the idea for this little ... thing. The "floating thing" that Legolas and Estel are in is more shaped like a 2 person inner tube, to clear up any confusion about that. I know, they didn't have any inner tubes or water parks in Middle Earth, so they had to make do.

A/N 2: Thanks of course to the wench for the beta job. :)

--

The heat was sweltering. So much, in fact, that seventeen year old Estel lay on a grassy bank with nothing but his shirt covering his more ... sensitive parts. The light cloth flapped somewhat in the breeze, threatening to fly away. Estel glared at it and placed a small rock on the fabric, making sure that it went nowhere. Not that there was anyone around to notice. He was completely alone beside the small creek; his family didn't feel the effects of the heat as much as he did and therefore, weren't required to take such drastic action to prevent turning into a puddle.

He sighed, content for the moment. The tree above him shaded him from the sun and he was close enough to the water that he could dip his feet into it whenever he wished it. For the better part of an afternoon he lounged there, caught in a state between sleeping and awake, and not really bothered to move. That was until a voice sounded above him that made him wince in frustration and finally crack one eyelid open.

"Yes, Legolas?" Estel asked in a suffering tone.

"Surely you aren't going to sit here all day, are you?" The blond elf sat near him, crossing his legs.

"I was thinking about it ... " Estel shifted so that he could submerge the lower part of his leg into the water, letting the soothing coolness rush over his skin.

Legolas tsked, tossing the younger man's leggings at him, which plopped onto Estel's head. The human scowled.

"Come, we are going to do something fun."

"This is fun. I am having fun. As a matter of fact, I can't think of anything I want to be doing more than what I am now." Estel said, tossing the clothing to the side.

"That is because you aren't thinking hard enough, mellon nin! I have something great planned ... something exciting!"

"Is this something going to get us killed or mangled? I'd really rather not spend any time in the healing ward, it gets so hot in there this time of year." 

Legolas rolled his eyes in a very un-elven fashion. "We're not going to get hurt. Now come, don't just sit there! Daylight is wasting away while you laze around."

"Fine. But if I do get hurt, _you_ get to explain to ada what happened." 

"Yes, yes. Now hurry!" Legolas grinned.

With a long, drawn out sigh, Estel grumpily pulled on his clothes. He wasn't bothered that Legolas was within view - he had learned at an early age that elves were not put off by nudity. That did not mean that Estel would be prancing around Rivendell naked though. However, the time they had pulled a well thought out prank on Erestor was rather funny, made even more so by the fact that nobody noticed the unclothed elf bound and gagged in the courtyard til morning. Most of Rivendell now knew what Erestor looked like in the nude. Privately, some were impressed, and the group of human women who had arrived at precisely the wrong (or maybe, the right) time kept trying to steal the poor elf away for a few hours. It had been an interesting week. 

When Estel was finally dressed, Legolas clasped the young man's arm to drag him away. To the human's surprise, they were heading away from Rivendell and up one of the rocky banks that led up river towards the rapids.

Estel's eyes narrowed. "Where are we going?"

"Shush, Estel. I'll show you when we get there."

"That does not leave me with a sense of security, you know." Estel got no reply. He honestly didn't expect one. When in this state of mind, Legolas could be a bit ... on the odd side. Not that Estel complained much. Sometimes Legolas' oddness paid off. Sometimes, however, things went tragically wrong. Like the time that Estel ended up with two broken legs and some burns on the more sensitive spots of his body.

They finally arrived just in front of the falls where the water was churning and flowing at a faster pace than Estel was comfortable with. Legolas, however, stood just in the water holding on to what looked like a rickety boat. If it could even be called _that_. It wasn't a boat in the normal sense ... in fact, it looked as if Legolas had painstakingly sewed together several animal skins very tightly so that they would hold air. The floatation device sent a shiver of horror up Estel's spine.

"Legolas," He called out in a very controlled voice. "What are you planning on doing with that?"

"We're going to sit on it and float down the river." Legolas grinned merrily.

"You've finally lost it, haven't you?" Estel sighed. "I worried that this would happen, but nobody would listen to me. Honestly, Legolas, you should be watched at all times by respectable and responsible elves that are far older than you. Now, nobody took my advice, and you've gone off the deep end. I must inform ada of this new situation ... " Estel turned to leave and was grasped tightly by the elf.

"Come, Estel! It will be fun! You'll enjoy it, I promise." Legolas laughed. "Besides, brave Estel isn't frightened by a small river is he!"

Estel narrowed his eyes. "I am not frightened by the river, I am frightened by the prospect of _drowning_ in the river; said river, by the way, isn't so small ... it is a large river and I would rather not get caught in the currents!"

Legolas huffed. "Fine. I'll just go myself and-"

"Oh hush, you prissy elf. I'll join you. However, you are now tasked with the sole duty of making sure I survive this little trip. Otherwise, ada will kill you."

"Yes, yes, come on." Legolas sat down on the floating ... thing and scooted upwards so that Estel could join him. It just did fit the two of them, allowing their legs to hang off of the front, while Legolas was practically sitting in Estel's lap. With a hearty push, Legolas sent the two of them down the rapid flowing river.

With a sudden jerk, the current caught them and pushed them forward with rapidly gaining speed. Estel quickly latched onto Legolas' middle while trying to refrain from screaming like a girl as they scrubbed up against a large rock. A sudden thought came to him and Estel leaned upwards to yell over the rushing of the water into his friend's pointed ear.

"How are we going to steer this thing!"

Light laughter came from the elf at the question; to say Estel was worried at this point would be an understatement.

"Steer? My friend, what is the fun in that?"

"There is no fun in death!" Estel rolled his eyes even though Legolas couldn't see the gesture and clung tighter. They were traveling down the water swiftly now, avoiding rocks for the most part but every few moments one would slip underneath them to smack Estel in the rear. Oh, he was going to have bruises in odd places when this was all said and done. _If_ they survived, that is.

"See, Estel! We're almost at the end!" Legolas said.

"The end?" The human blinked. "The river doesn't end here! The only thing here is ... oh Valar ... "

"Yes, the falls! I think we can make it over them safely."

"You think! You _think_! We're going to die. We're going to die and we're not even going to die with honor. We're going to die because you were bored and wanted to sail down the river on this contraption and I just _hope_ you're happy Legolas!"

"Stop being so dramatic, Estel. We're almost there now, hang on!" Legolas replied. Estel merely hid his face in his friend's back, not wanting to watch their approaching end. Just before they reached the falls however, their small raft hit a rather sharp rock and ripped with an ominous sound that made even Legolas cringe.

"Uh oh." Legolas said calmly. "It appears the raft is losing air."

"It appears ... why do I even bother!" Estel barely got the words out before they were both submerged in water. Just when Estel thought his day could get no worse, they both went over the falls in a spectacular view of flailing limbs and screams.

Two loud splashes could be heard, and finally ...

"_Cough, cough, sputter_." Estel tried to clear the water from his lungs as he paddled to the bank. Legolas was just behind him and they both made it to the edge at the same time, sitting heavily upon the grass. Estel glared.

"That was fun, mellon nin! Was it not! I was somewhat worried when our raft lost air and we went over the falls without it, but we did it! We are alive!" Legolas happily hugged his sulking friend.

"I hate you." 

"What? Oh Estel, you had fun, admit it!"

"No, I really hate you. I'm going back in the house now, and I suggest you stay outside."

"What? You aren't really mad, are you? I kept you safe!"

"... I'm not even going to bother answering that. Goodbye Legolas."

"Estel! Estel? Oh, for the love of the Valar! Estel!"

---

End


End file.
